It has to be easy to be a sports fan in Boston. The New England Patriots have basically built a dynasty with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick in the 21st century with 5 Super Bowl Championships since 2001. And of course that also includes the crazy comeback from 28-3 down in the 2017 Super Bowl to win 34-28 and absolutely shock the world. Then, on top of the Patriots, the Boston Red Sox have won 3 World Series of their own in recent history, while the Boston Bruins have also brought home the Stanley Cup as the NHL’s champions. Add in the fact that the Celtics are the winningest team in the history of the NBA, and have put together another competitive team in the present and you really have to count your blessings as a Boston sports fan.

With all of this success it should come as no surprise that sports betting has become a huge part of the sports culture in Boston. Even with the rise of sports betting and it’s social acceptance in recent years there are still a lot of questions surrounding betting on sports in the United States. I will answer these questions below, starting with the question of sports betting legality and also providing information on the best sportsbooks online where Americans can place their wagers. I’ll also touch on some Boston specific sports betting info, such as offline betting opportunities in the city.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Boston?

The answer to this question has two parts. Let me explain.

Part one, is looking at it from an operator standpoint. It is not legal to run a sportsbook or accept sports betting wagers in the state of Massachusetts.

That brings us two part two though, which is how the law applies to a Boston resident interested in placing a bet online. There is no law against residents of Massachusetts placing sports bets online through betting sites located and regulated outside the state of Massachusetts.

Below, I’ve outlined two offshore betting sites where it is legal (and accepted) for Boston residents to place wagers online. These offshore sportsbooks are regulated and licensed outside of the United States and they are both popular, safe and secure options for Boston sports bettors.

Best Sportsbooks for Boston Residents

These are our top two betting sites for Boston residents. The two sites are both safe, secure and well respected sports betting operators who are primarily focused on the United States betting market. This focus on the USA enables each site to offer betting options Americans are interested in, banking options that are easy to use for US residents and great customer support.

Check out the reviews of either Bovada or BetOnline above for more information.

Offline Sports Betting in Boston

Unfortunately, offline sports betting is not allowed in the State of Massachusetts. The only place in the United States where you can place bets at brick and mortar casinos is in Nevada.

That said, Massachusetts does allow you to place horse racing bets at the track and Boston is home to Suffolk Downs, a small racetrack, but one that does allow you to place bets on races across the USA.

Suffolk Downs

The Suffolk Downs horse racing track is located a quick 10 minute jaunt north of downtown Boston, directly north of the Boston airport. The racetrack is currently in the state of development into a housing and shopping district, but the track is still operational and live races take place one weekend a month throughout the summer.

Even though there isn’t much in the way of live races, Suffolk Downs is still open 6 days a week for simulcast betting, which basically allows you to wager on horse races from across the United States and watch them in real time at the Suffolk Downs track.

Bovada, our top rated sportsbooks listed above, takes bets on the races that occur at Suffolk Downs. And both Bovada and BetOnline accept bets on horses from across the USA so you don’t need to head to the track to place your simulcast bets.